Chapter 9. Filters and Effects

For decades, photographers have used lens filters to improve and alter the look of their photographs when shooting—to change the intensity of color values, or lighten certain tones and darken others. For more creative effects, they would also rely on darkroom and printing techniques.

Thanks to the advancements of digital technology, though, you don’t have to fiddle with chemicals or additional camera equipment to enhance your photographs. The filters and effects included in Photoshop Elements go far beyond what’s been possible in traditional photography. Many of these filters (such as the Blur filters) allow you to make subtle corrections and improvements to your photos, whereas other filters (such as Artistic, Stylize, and Sketch) can transform an image into a completely new piece of artwork. Photoshop Elements also provides effects you can add to your photos, including striking image effects (lizard skin, anyone?) as well as type effects and unique textures.

Using the Effects Panel

Photoshop Elements offers you almost unlimited possibilities for tweaking and enhancing your images. Most filters include a dialog where you can preview any changes and adjust the settings for either a subtle or dramatic effect. And some of the filters (such as the Liquify filter) are so comprehensive, they seem like separate applications within Photoshop Elements.

Effects work a bit differently than filters. When you apply an effect, Elements runs through a series of automatic actions in which a number of filters and layer styles are applied to your image. Effects are a bit more complex than filters. If you want to add a drop shadow, picture frame, or brushed-metal type to a photo, browse through the Effects panel to see what’s available.

To view the Effects panel:

1. In the Editor, choose Window > Effects (if the panel isn’t already visible).
2. Click either the Filters or Photo Effects icon at the top of the Effects panel .

   

   Access filters and photo effects from the Effects panel.

To change the number of filters or effects displayed in the panel:

Do one of the following:

• Click the Show All button to the right of the Photo Effects button.

• If it’s not already selected, choose Show All from the Library drop-down menu to see all filters or effects .

When you select Show All from the Library drop-down menu, all filters or effects in their respective libraries are displayed at once.

• Select a set of filters or effects from the Library drop-down menu to see just the ones in that set.

To change the panel view:

Do one of the following:

• From the More menu, choose Small, Medium, or Large Thumbnail View to change the size of the filters or effect previews. Medium is the default.

• From the More menu, choose Show Names to view the filters or effects with their identifying names .

Select Show Names from the panel menu to display filters or effects with their names.

Applying Filters and Effects

Effects don’t include a preview window, but you’ll find useful examples of each effect on the Effects panel. For many filters and effects, a good approach is to select a small area of your image and apply the change to see the results—that way, you don’t waste a lot of time waiting for your computer to process changes to the entire image. The exceptions are effects like Frames, where the effect is designed to be applied to your entire image. A few effects (such as the Cutout and Recessed frame effects) require you to make a selection before you can apply the effect.

To apply a filter:

1. To apply a filter to an entire layer, select the layer on the Layers panel to make the layer active. To apply a filter to just a portion of your image, select an area with one of the selection tools .

   

   Filters and effects can be applied to an entire layer or to a selection.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To immediately apply the filter or effect, double-click its button on the Effects panel; or, drag any filter from the Effects panel onto your image in the image window.

   • If you want to control how the effect appears, go to the Filter menu and choose a filter from one of the submenus. The Filter Options dialog appears . Continue following the next steps.

   

   The Filter Options dialog includes a large preview window and sliders you can use to adjust a filter’s settings.

3. In the Filter Options dialog, experiment with the available values and options until you get the look you want.
4. In the dialog preview window, you can change the view by doing one of the following:

   • To zoom in or out, click either the Zoom In (plus sign) or Zoom Out (minus sign) button.

   • To see a specific area of your image, click and drag within the preview window .

   

   To move around (or pan) the preview image, just click and drag to move the image.

5. Click OK. The filter is applied to your image . If you’re not happy with the result, choose Edit > Undo or select the previous state from the Undo History panel.

   

   After you click OK, the filter is applied to your image.

To apply effects:

1. To apply an effect to an entire layer, select the layer to make it active. To apply an effect to just a portion of the image, select an area using one of the selection tools.
2. In the Effects panel, double-click the chosen effect .

   

   Double-click any effect in the Effects panel to apply it to an image or selection. You can also drag an effect or filter from the panel into the image window.

   If you prefer, you can also drag any effect from the Effects panel directly onto your image.

   When you apply an effect, it creates one or more new layers immediately above the selected layer .

   

   When you apply an effect, it generates one or more layers above the selected layer. The number of new layers depends on the series of actions required to create the specific effect.

Simulating Action with the Blur Filters

Photoshop Elements includes a few blur filters that can create a sense of motion where none exists. In many cases, you’ll want to select a specific area in your photo when using these filters, so that the motion or movement is applied to one object, such as a person, your dog, or a pair of shoes.

The Motion Blur filter blurs a layer or selection in a specific direction and intensity. The result simulates the look of taking a picture of a moving object with a fixed exposure or of panning a camera across a still scene.

The Radial Blur filter creates the impression of a camera zoom or of an object moving toward or away from you. You can also create the impression of an object spinning at variable rates of speed. In either case, the Radial Blur filter lets you control the center of the effect and the amount of blurring or motion.

To add a motion blur to an image:

1. Select the desired layer to make it active. To create a feeling of motion in just a portion of your image, select an area with one of the selection tools .

   

   You can apply the Motion Blur filter to an entire layer or to a selection, as I’ll do in this photo.

2. Do one of the following:

   • To apply the default settings, choose Blur from the Library drop-down menu on the Effects panel, and double-click the Motion Blur filter .

   

   Once you’ve chosen a layer or selection, double-click the Motion Blur thumbnail.

   • To customize the settings, go to the Filter menu and choose Blur > Motion Blur. The Motion Blur dialog appears with options for the motion angle and distance.

3. Set the Angle and Distance options to get the look you want . You can refer to the preview window in the dialog, and if the Preview option is checked, you can also see the results in the main image window.

   

   The Motion Blur dialog includes options for the angle and distance of the effect.

   By default, the Angle option is set to 0°, meaning that the pixels will be blurred along the horizontal axis as shown next to the Angle text field. So, the impression of motion will be right to left (or left to right) across your screen. You can change the angle by dragging the line on the Angle icon or by entering a number of degrees in the Angle text box.

   The Distance option determines the number of pixels included in the linear blur, with the default set to 10 pixels (a moderate amount of blurring). When you reach the upper limits of this option (999 pixels), the objects in your photo may become barely recognizable.

4. When you are satisfied with the effect, click OK to apply it to your image .

   

   Click OK to see the Motion Blur filter applied to your image. If you want to back up and try again, just choose Edit > Undo and experiment with different settings.

To add a circular blur to an image:

1. Select the desired layer to make it active. To create a feeling of radial motion in just a portion of your image, select an area with one of the selection tools.

   A circular (elliptical) selection works especially well when you want to create a circular effect.

2. Select the Radial Blur by doing one of the following:

   • To apply the effect’s default settings, double-click the Radial Blur filter on the Effects panel.

   • To specify the settings, got to the Filter menu and choose Blur > Radial Blur. The Radial Blur dialog appears, with options for amount of blur, blur center, blur method, and quality .

   

   The Radial Blur dialog does not include a preview, but the Quality options include Draft, which you can use to quickly apply and view the effects of the filter on your image.

3. Set the Amount and Blur Center values.

   The two Blur Method options are Spin and Zoom . Choose Spin to blur along circular lines or Zoom to blur along lines radiating from the center, as if you were zooming in or out of an image.

   

   To change the center point, drag the preview in the Blur Center window.

4. Select a Quality option for the filter.

   Draft quality produces a quicker rendering of the filter, but with slightly coarse results. The Good and Best options both take a bit longer to render, but provide a smoother look; there’s not a big difference between the latter two options.

5. When you are satisfied with the effect, click OK to apply it to your image.

Distorting Images

The Distort filters include an amazing array of options that let you ripple, pinch, shear, and twist your images. Experiment with all of the Distort filters to get a feel for the different effects you can apply to your images. One filter in particular stands above the others in its power and flexibility: Liquify.

The Liquify filter creates amazing effects by letting you warp, twirl, stretch, and twist pixels beyond the normal laws of physics. You’ve probably seen plenty of examples of this filter, where someone’s face is wildly distorted with bulging eyes and a puckered mouth. However, you can also use the Liquify filter to create more subtle changes and achieve effects that would be impossible with any other tool.

The Liquify filter is unique in that it includes a dialog with its own complete set of image manipulation tools. And because the Liquify filter works within its own dialog box, you can’t undo specific changes with the Edit > Undo command or Undo History panel. Fortunately, the Liquify filter offers its own Reconstruct tool to restore any area to its original (or less contorted) state. The Reconstruct tool allows you to “paint” over your image and gradually return to the original version, or stop at any state along the way. If you just want to go back and start over, clicking the Revert button is the quickest method.

To distort an image with the Liquify filter:

1. Select an entire layer, or make a selection of the area you want to change.
2. From the Filter menu, choose Distort > Liquify; or, on the Effects panel, choose Distort from the Library drop-down menu and double-click the Liquify filter.

   If your image includes a type layer, you will be prompted to simplify the type to continue. This means the type layer will be flattened into the rest of your image’s layers. Be aware that if you click OK, the type will no longer be editable.

   The Liquify dialog appears, including a preview of the layer or selection area. The Warp tool is selected by default, with a brush size of 64 and a pressure of 50 .

   

   The Liquify dialog includes its own set of distortion tools as well as options for changing the brush size and pressure.

   You’ll probably want to change the brush size and pressure during the course of your work.

3. To change the brush settings, do one of the following:

   • To change the brush size, drag the slider or enter a value in the option box. The brush size ranges from 1 to 600 pixels.

   • To change the brush pressure, drag the slider or enter a value in the option box. The brush pressure ranges from 1 to 100 percent.

4. Distort your image with any of the Liquify tools located on the left side of the dialog until you achieve the look you want. To use any tool, simply select it (just as you do tools on the main toolbar) and then move your pointer into the image .

   

   The Liquify tool set.

   

   The best way to become familiar with the Liquify distortion tools is to experiment with them on a variety of images, as in this series of photos.

To undo changes:

In the Liquify dialog, click the Reconstruct tool. Then, while holding down your mouse button, “brush” over your image to gradually undo each change you’ve made.

To undo all Liquify changes:

In the Liquify dialog, click the Revert button to return the image to its original state.

Correcting Camera Distortion

Most cameras may be digital these days, but it’s still an optical medium, and every camera has tradeoffs; for example, some lenses offer incredible zoom, but at the expense of introducing barrel distortion around the edges. The Correct Camera Distortion filter provides tools to compensate.

To correct camera distortion:

1. Select a layer or make a selection to edit.
2. From the Filter menu, choose Correct Camera Distortion. The dialog of the same name appears .

   

   Correct Camera Distortion fixes many common photographic gaffes.

3. Apply the following controls based on the distortion found in your image:

   • Remove Distortion. Drag the slider to the left to bloat the image or to the right to pinch it .

   

   The corner of the building on the left curves due to lens distortion (top), so I’ve applied a small amount of Remove Distortion to pinch the image slightly and straighten the curve (bottom).

   • Vignette. To add or remove a vignette (such as found in old photographs), drag the Amount slider to match the vignette area. Use the Midpoint slider to adjust the vignette’s size.

   • Perspective Control. Drag the Vertical and Horizontal Perspective sliders to tilt the image. The Angle control rotates the image.

   • Edge Extension. After using the controls above, you may want to scale the image with Edge Extension to crop unwanted blank areas caused by the adjustments.

4. Click OK to apply the changes.

Creating Lights and Shadows

Lights and shadows add drama to almost any photograph. It’s always best to plan your lighting before you take your picture, but there are times when you just can’t control these factors. Elements includes some nifty filters to help you enhance the lighting after the fact. The Lighting Effects filter lets you create a seemingly infinite number of effects through a combination of light styles, properties, and even a texture channel. It’s almost like having your own lighting studio.

To add lighting effects to an image:

1. Select the desired layer to make it active. To confine the lighting effect to just a portion of your image, select an area using one of the selection tools.
2. Select the Lighting Effects filter by doing one of the following:

   • To apply a default effect, go to the Effects panel, choose Render from the Library drop-down menu and double-click the Lighting Effects filter.

   • To adjust the settings, go to the Filter menu and choose Render > Lighting Effects. The Lighting Effects dialog appears .

   

   When you first open the Lighting Effects dialog, it may seem a bit intimidating. But it only takes a little experimentation with the settings to see the range of effects possible with this filter.

3. Choose a predefined Style, or create your own using the following controls:

   • Choose a Light Type from the drop-down menu, which includes Directional, Omni, and Spotlight options. Each lighting style is based on one of these three light types.

   • Set light properties .

   

   The Properties area offers an almost infinite combination of settings you can use to change the appearance and intensity of the lighting.

4. When you are satisfied with the effect, click OK to apply it to your image .

   

   The Triple Spotlight filter has been applied to this image.

Light styles and types

The Lighting Effects dialog offers a mind-boggling number of properties, light types, and styles, making it more than a little difficult to figure out where to start. Here’s a list of some of the most useful lighting styles and types.

Lighting styles

• Flashlight focuses a direct spotlight on the center of the image, with the rest of the image darkened. It’s set at a medium intensity with a slightly yellow cast.

• Floodlight has a wider focus and casts a white light on your image.

• Soft Omni and Soft Spotlight provide gentle lightbulb and spotlight effects respectively, and work well for many different kinds of images.

• Blue Omni adds a blue overhead light to your image and offers insight into how lighting styles and types work together. If you select this light type, you’ll see a blue color box in the Light Type area of the dialog. If you click on this box, the Color Picker appears , letting you change the color to anything you want. Once you’ve chosen a new color, click OK to apply your custom lighting style to your photo.

Some lighting styles, such as Blue Omni, include colored lights. Change the color by clicking the lighting color box, which opens the Color Picker.

• Most of the remaining lighting styles create more dramatic and specialized effects (for example, RGB Lights consists of red, green, and blue spotlights), but are worth exploring.

Light types

• Directional creates an angled light that shines from one direction across your photo .

The Directional light produces a light source that shines in one direction across your photo, as indicated by the line in the image preview window.

• Omni produces a light that shines down on your image from above .

The Omni light creates the impression of a light shining directly onto your photo. To change the size of the lit area, drag one of the boundary handles.

• Spotlight creates a round spotlight in the center of your image. In preview mode, you’ll see that the boundaries of the light look like an ellipse. You can change the size of the ellipse by dragging any of the handles. To change the direction of the light, just drag to move the line .

The Spotlight is represented by an elliptical boundary in the preview. Drag a handle to change the area being lit, and drag the lighting direction line to change the direction of the light source.

When you select a light style, it automatically defaults to whichever light type best supports that look—so, for example, the Floodlight style uses the Spotlight type.

Light properties

Once you’ve chosen a light style and type, you have complete control over four different lighting properties.

• Gloss establishes how much light reflects off your image and can be set from Matte (less reflection) to Shiny (more reflection).

• Material determines the surface properties of your image. It can be set from Plastic to Metallic. As you move the setting toward Plastic, the highlights scatter across the surface more; with Metallic, the highlights are more contained.

• Exposure increases or decreases the light. If you click through the light types, you’ll notice that most of them leave this setting at, or close to, 0. This is one setting you may just want to leave as is or make only subtle changes to since it has such a pronounced impact on the light.

• Ambience refers to ambient lighting, or how much you combine the particular lighting effect with the existing light in your photo. Positive values allow in more ambient light, and negative values allow less.

To add a lens flare:

1. Select the desired layer to make it active. To confine the lighting effect to just a portion of your image, select an area using one of the selection tools.
2. Select the Lens Flare filter by doing one of the following:

   • To apply a default setting, go to the Effects panel, choose Render from the Library drop-down menu, and double-click the Lens Flare filter.

   • To specify settings, got to the Filter menu and choose Render > Lens Flare. The Lens Flare dialog appears, with options for the brightness, flare center, and lens type .

   

   The Lens Flare dialog adjusts the brightness, flare center, and lens type.

3. Set the brightness option by dragging the slider to the right to increase or to the left to decrease the brightness.
4. To move the flare center, just click the image preview to move the crosshairs to another location.
5. Set the Lens Type options as desired, and when you’re happy with what you see, click OK to apply the filter to your image .

   

   I applied the Lens Flare filter with the default brightness and lens type options.

   The options include settings for three common camera lenses (50–300mm Zoom, 35mm, and 105mm), plus Movie Prime, and the filter creates a look similar to the refraction or lens flare you’d get with each one .

   

   The lens options can be subtle.